Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” LGBTQ inclusion in faith spaces is no exception to that. It’s a slow, arduous journey, and we’ve seen many more setbacks than triumphs.
But in the last month, the queer faith community has seen several victories worth noting and celebrating.
1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted Culture
This documentary, directed by Sharon “Rocky” Roggio, is sweeping through film festivals across the nation and around the world. Winning multiple awards, most recently the Audience Award at Outfest in Los Angeles last week, this documentary details the history behind how the word “homosexual” got into the English Bible.
Amber Wylde
While many people believe this word has always been there, the truth is it did not appear in any translation until 1946 when the Revised Standard Version translation team erroneously combined two independent Greek words to become “homosexual” in English.
This documentary uncovers evidence that this mistranslation of text was an error that never should have happened. And because of the wide distribution of the RSV and its influence on other modern translations, this message of homophobia spread far and wide, placing a “sacred weapon” into the hands of religious leaders all over the country.
Digging through thousands of archived documents, Kathy Baldock and Ed Oxford detail their journey of discovery in a way that is astonishing and, I believe, has the power to change the course of history for LGBTQ people.
While it is currently only being featured in film festivals, some provide virtual screenings that allow the general public to purchase a ticket. Find out about upcoming festivals, both virtual and in person, at the film’s website.
Flamy Grant — The drag queen who topped the Christian charts on iTunes
If you’ve been watching the news at all this past week, you’ve seen that drag queen Flamy Grant has topped the charts, obtaining both the No. 1 album and No. 1 song on the Christian iTunes charts.
This fortunate accident came at the hands of homophobic and transphobic Sean Feucht, a former Bethel worship leader, who commented on Twitter that hardly anyone was interested in a worship song by a drag queen. Grant saw this and accepted the challenge, posting on TikTok and encouraging people to engage and see if they could get her song “Good Days” to chart on iTunes. And chart it did.
Flamy Grant
Matthew Lovegood, the singer-songwriter behind the brilliance that is Flamy Grant, grew up in the Bible Belt, raised on the conservative evangelical teachings of James Dobson and Focus on the Family. Now out as queer musician and married to their husband, Lovegood fights for their place to exist in Christian music alongside other Christian artists with the belief that queer people belong in the church simply because they exist in the church. Leaning into drag during the pandemic, Flamy Grant released her debut album Bible Belt Baby featuring other queer Christian artists such as Semler and Jennifer Knapp.
To see a drag queen rise to the top of the Christian music charts is an act of resistance and revolution, a chance to fight for the dignity and worth of every person in the family of God. A chance to show LGBTQ people that they do indeed belong.
To help keep Flamy Grant at the top of the charts, do yourself a favor by listening to her music and downloading it on iTunes.
Mama Bears documentary
Another win for the queer community happened a couple weeks ago when the Mama Bears documentary, directed by Daresha Kyi and featuring Free Mom Hugs founder Sara Cunningham, made its PBS premiere on June 20, 2023. Following the lives of several people who have been defined by conservative Christianity, it shows the journey they’ve taken from defending their church to defending their LGBTQ children.
From a mom with a transgender daughter in the heart of Texas, to a mother of a gay son in Oklahoma, to a young woman wrestling with her own identity, this redeeming film shines a light on what is possible when we choose love over hatred, inclusion over exclusion, family over rigid religious beliefs.
The Mama Bear group, founded by Liz Dyer, started out with just 200 moms back in 2014 and now has grown to more than 36,000 moms who are showing up, standing up and speaking out for the full inclusion of LGBTQ children.
With more than 93 showings at film festivals all across the country and multiple awards, this documentary is changing the nation, one viewing at a time. To support the Mama Bears documentary by viewing it yourself, watch it on PBS with the PBS passport or look for upcoming screenings at MamaBearsDoc.com.
With more than 45,000 evangelical churches in the United States today — most still teaching that being gay, bisexual or transgender is a sin — these movements of love and inclusion are a welcome change to the hate and homophobia/transphobia queer people so often experience.
As we band together and good continues to triumph over harm, lives will be saved, queer people will feel less alone in the world, and love can truly win.
Amber Wylde is a national speaker, community healer and the author of three books. Her newest book, Out of Focus: My Story of Sexuality, Shame and Toxic Evangelicalism, releases October 2023. As a gay woman living with the invisible disability of both Lyme disease and rheumatoid arthritis, Amber specializes in bringing messages of diversity, hope and self-acceptance to those who have been pushed to the margins. She is host of the Unashamed Love Collective — a safe haven for LGBTQ people and allies that fosters supportive community. She also leads Cultivating Community Retreats — small, intimate group gatherings that build lasting relationships with like-minded people. Learn more at Patreon.com/AmberCantornaWylde, on social media @AmberCantornaWylde or online at AmberCantornaWylde.com.
Related articles:
My quest to find the word ‘homosexual’ in the Bible | Opinion by Ed Oxford
As a 21-year-old seminarian, David Fearon challenged the RSV translators on the word ‘homosexual’ | Analysis by Kathy Baldock
What Sean Feucht meant for evil, Flamy Grant experienced as good
Meet the Mama Bears, who give away hugs and hope | Opinion by Amber Wylde